Put Down the Joe! Why It’s Not Safe to Drink Coffee After Tooth Extraction

Anyone who knows you knows to stay away until you’ve had your hot, morning cup of java. It not only wakes you up, but it also keeps you going when you hit the afternoon slump at work. In other words, you can’t imagine living without coffee! However, if you need to have a tooth removed, you may have to put your caffeine fix on hold for about a week.

Why is it not safe to drink coffee after a tooth extraction? Why is following your dentist’s instructions important? Read on to find out.

What’s Necessary to Heal After Tooth Extraction

Although the procedure itself is fairly routine and often doesn’t involve surgery at all, it still comes with risks and requires steps to facilitate healing. For instance, the most important element of your healing is to have a small blood clot form over the socket. This tiny clump of cells protects nerves underneath from harmful bacteria in the mouth. It shields the tissue as it closes over the site. Without this clot, the vulnerable area could become infected, and you could experience severe pain from a complication called dry socket.

Why You Need to Avoid Coffee After Tooth Extraction

You may not like it, but coffee isn’t good for your healing, which means you should stay away from it for a short time after tooth extraction.

Before you can bounce back from a tooth extraction, you need to take it easy for at least a couple of days. As a result, you may not need that jolt of caffeine to energize. In fact, you should rest and sleep to allow your body to focus on producing new tissue cells over the site. Plus, caffeine dilates blood vessels, which can lead to more bleeding and can slow down the development of the essential clot.

In addition, the extreme temperature of coffee can lift the blood clot prematurely, exposing sensitive nerves to bacteria and causing excruciating pain—and this is true with iced coffee or coffee-flavored ice cream as well as with piping hot cup from the barista or the kitchen.

On top of the caffeine content and temperature, coffee is sometimes consumed with a straw, and the sucking motion can pull the clot off the site, leading to dry socket.

In the end, going without coffee may challenge you, but just remember that it is only for a short time. With a small sacrifice, you can heal more smoothly and get back to enjoying your favorite beverage sooner!

About the Practice

As much as possible, Applegate Dental recommends conservative treatment to deal with oral issues, but if tooth extraction becomes necessary, we can perform the procedure in our West Seneca office. Our dentists have extensive training and experience, and our practice is in-network with many dental insurance plans. To learn more about tooth extractions, reach out to us online or call our office at 716-712-5301.